The (late) Monday Matter #6

Hey!

If you're wondering why this is late, it's because I suck. No seriously.

I would say I've been too busy, but I haven't. Yeah I've been working and running around after people and you know, living. But I always have a few hours at night and I just completely forgot that "The Monday Matter" was a thing on my blog, seriously, put me in a home I'm on my way out.

This week has been super fun and also super unfun. I've got a new phone which I LOVE but I'm also in the pooper where moneys concerned. What's that saying about debt? Oh yeah "The best way to get rid of debt, is to accept it's there and deal with it." I'm in a little bit of debt due to being an ex student and I'm seriously trying to get out of it and deal with it now rather than later. This leaves me stressed and poor, therefore I just don't feel like blogging or doing anything and if I don't feel like blogging, I wont force it, I'll wait until I feel like it and then I'll do it. I want my posts to be real for you guys I don't want to become a machine that just writes because it's expected of me. If that's not professional then, I don't give a shit.

Moving on!

The Phone I left the land of the iPhone and bought a HTC One M8. It seems everyone and their dog's cousin has an iPhone now and to me, they're just not worth it. After a year and a half my battery depleted, my lock button rusted up and wouldn't work and it wasn't worth the £40 I paid a month for it, so I paid off my contract and opted for a cheaper, yet better phone. the HTC One and yes, it's beautiful. My favourite part is the camera is being able to refocus the picture after you've taken it. The picture of my shoes at the top was a photo I refocused, I just thought that was a really cool touch to add to the phone!

The Hair I've been back blonde since just before new year, before that I was bright pink. I love being blonde and I don't think I'll go another colour (all over) for a while but one thing I hate is redying my roots back in. This gives me serious stress pains as I know my roots will go yellow and I'll have to tone them and it's just a massive ballache. However I used the products above and my hair is now near enough white with no yellow in sight! (woo a rhyme!)

The Nails Everyone seems to have white nails this season and I really wanted to join in as they look so fresh. However, I've had acrylics on for nearly two months now, obviously I had them changed/backfilled and repolished but I was getting fed up of not being able to to anything and having witchy looking fingers so I took the acrylics off and applied OPI - Alpine Snow and I feel like a new woman! White nail varnish really is something special. It;s hard to get it to not look like I've tippexed my nails though!

The Makeup As you may or may not know, I'm an aspiring makeup artist. I;ve done a few jobs here and there but nothing published and not enough to say I AM a Makeup Artist. I often post pictures of the makeup looks I;ve done on myself on my instagram, the picture over is one of the more recent. You should follow me on Instagram for more photos like this! Click HERE to follow me :)

That's my week in review! how was your week last week? Let me know, leave a comment below!

Alicia x
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FAVOURITES // March

Hey!

So this month I've been trying a fair few new things and I've been loving the majority! Mostly lipsticks as you can see but still, good stuff. We all love a good lipstick right? I've been trying to venture into the world of nude lipsticks as opposed to my bold ones just because I feel I can't really wear bold lipsticks 24/7. Some people can pull it off, I however, cannot. So nudes made sense to venture into!

Moving on let's get these favourites started!

MAC Heroine £15, MAC Cosmetics

This has fast become my favourite lipstick of this season, it's vampy yet girly with deep purple tones and also hints of hot pink/blue undertones. It glides on like a dream, dries matte, moisturises and stays on for a very long time. Read my full review >here.<

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lipstick in Pink Berry (Creme) GWP*, Debenhams

I got this with a set for purchasing other EL products and it's become a staple in my "everyday" routine. It's got a hint of pink with brown undertones making it the perfect nude to dinner dates, work and meetings because it's just so sophisticated you can wear it casually or dress it up with a smokey eye. Definitely one to look out for!

Illamasqua Immodest £16.50, Very.co.uk

This one's a little out of my comfort zone but I love it. It's a super neon pink with blue undertones and dries VERY matte. It can be forgiven for being super drying because the colour pay off and wear time is immense. If you're not into MAC Matte's such as Ruby Woo, this one won't be for you as it's even drier than that but with a little lip balm underneath it's fine for me!

Illamasqua Glissade (Glamore Collection) £16.50, Very.co.uk

Illamasqua meets pin up and boy did they do it well! The visual for this collection was stunning and being a beauty junkie I had to hop on the bandwagon of buying into a high end collection and I'm so glad i did because this colour and formula is stunning. Read my full review >here.<

Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush, £6.99, Boots

No words can describe how incredible this brush is. It makes gel liner so much easier and the nub is so thin you can really build up that line. Silicone nibs are great because they're hygienic and super easy to clean, which is why I've added this brush into my kit. If you haven't already, get this brush it will change your life!

Illamasqua Gel Liner in Infinity, £18. Very.co.uk

There isn't a creamier gel liner in the world. This is the blackest black liner I've ever seen, even blacker than Maybelline's gel liner offering which was my favourite before I found this, the love of my life it's super creamy and easy to apply yet when it dries, it really does set. It's also waterproof so wont come off if you get a bit emosh, however at the touch of make up remover is dissolves instantly. I don't know how they did it but Illamasqua really hit the nail on the head with this one!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Blush in Peach Passion (shimmer) £25, Debenhams.

This blush is the most stunning thing I own. It's so luxurious and so pretty that I just couldn't say no to it. The packaging really got me loving this product as I'm a sucker for a pretty package but the product inside blew me away, it's highly pigmented and super flattering on my pale skin and the added gold flecks of shimmer really add to that sun kissed look on my face making this a perfect SS14 offering in my blush collection. 

Illamasqua Blush in Tweak, £18, Very.co.uk

When I first saw this blush on the website I knew I wanted it and then hen it arrived I wasn't so sure. It was super hot pink and I knew it was going to have me looking clown like...how wrong I was. With a dab of my blush brush and tap off the excess, buff this into your cheeks and you'll look great. Perfect for adding a little bit of natural colour back into the cheeks. Super highly pigmented so make sure not to rub your brush about in it for ages or you'll come out looking like you've been sharpied but if you do it just right, this blush looks so flattering and amazing. Due to it's deep/hot pink colour I really think this would suit any skin tone, used in the correct way.

There we have it, my March Favourites! Hope you enjoyed this post, what were your favourites this month? Leave me links below!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // Seventeen Phwoar Paint Heavy Duty Concealer

Seventeen Phwoar Paint Heavy Duty Concealer £5.99, Boots.

Hey!

I've been looking for a replacement for my Soap & Glory Kick Ass concealer for a while now. It's heavy duty, doesn't crease, covers blemishes perfectly and stays all day as well as matching my skin tone perfectly. The only thing that annoyed me about it was the price £10 for a concealer & some powder seemed a little steep to me which is why I opted for the Seventeen offering. This feels to me like the same consistency as the Soap & Glory one...let's dive deeper shall we.

This is a very thick concealer which can be used under the eyes, around the nose to cover redness and over blemishes so they become barely noticeable. It blends out wonderfully and is super creamy and easy to apply. It doesn't crease when you use it under the eyes but I mainly use my Pro Longwear anyway and I use this for blemishes and redness.

It has a wear time of around 7-8 hours which is pretty comparable to the Kick Ass Concealer and it doesn't wear off patchy either, it just seems to fade naturally so by the end of the 7 hours you can pretty much see the blemishes. It's a good enough time window for a drugstore concealer though, for £5.99 I wasn't expecting miracles but it did surprise me.

I find Seventeen are a bit hit and miss but they have definitely upped their game recently and I have to say i'm loving this concealer and it's earned it's place in my everyday beauty bag.

Have you tried this concealer? Let me know in the comments!

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #5: Selfless Selfie, Carbonara Heaven and the Forbidden Planet

The Selfie So as you all probably know was the week of the #nomakeupselfie for Cancer Research UK. This got a lot of negativity but i thought it was a great and fun way to raise money. Did you take part?

The Mornings This week I tried to get up earlier and make my days more productive, which they were! I started eating healthier and more satisfying breakfasts as well as getting my brain into working mode. I really feel like getting up and doing something with my day be it big or small it creates a positive attitude, this week I set my task as taking blog photos!

The Day after the Night Before Last Tuesday I went to Liverpool with Huw to see a friend for a night out, the day after we went to Olive Liverpool Italian Bar & Grill for a bite to eat, I chose Carbonara with smoked pancetta and parmesan cheese and it was AMAZING. The taste was just above and beyond and the large chilled Lemonade with a slice of lemon was so refreshing, beautiful! After that we took a trip to a comic shop called Forbidden Planet which was really cool. I got a Simpsons blind bag and won a Mini Moe Szyslak keyring! So so cute.

How has your week been? Let me know in the comments below!

Alicia x
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TOP 5 // My go to lipsticks this season.

   

1) L'Oreal Privee Collection in Cheryls Nude £7.99, Boots
2) Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Pinkberry (Gift With Purchase)
3) MAC Matte in Heroine £15, MAC Cosmetics
4) Illamasqua Matte in Immodest £16.50, Very.co.uk
5) MAC Matte in Candy Yum Yum £15, MAC Cosmetics

Hey!

I do one of these sections every season and just basically do a recap of the top 5 lipsticks I've been loving and getting a lot of use out of in each particular season. These lipsticks serve me well day and night may it be a natural face and bold lip for everyday or a smokey eye and nude lip for a night out, I like to mix and match them through day and night but I feel these colours really suit me well at the moment and definitely go with the season.

Cheryl's Nude
This is possibly my most used this month. If you've seen Anna (ViviannaDoesMakeup) and Lily (Lily Pebbles) talk about it you'll know it has that old granny parma violets smell but I actually don't mind it! I would suggest you do smell in store first though as it is a marmite time smell 9love it or hate it.) Other than that I can't fault it and it's a brilliant browny/peachy nude.

Pinkberry
I got this from a GWP at Debenhams and I'm super glad I chose this colour! It's a browny pink nude and suits my skintone perfectly and just makes make up look so effortlessly glam. Estee Lauder seems to have a reputation for being an older ladies brand but personally I love it! Definitely worth every penny.

Heroine.
This lipstick is my favourite, it's so pigmented and bold and looks great against my blonde hair/pale skin - if I do say so myself ;) It's matte but not super drying as you can see from the photo it has a slight sheen, that only lasts around 30 minutes and then it takes on it's matte form. Read my review >here.<

Immodest
Super super matte, no question about it - if you thought MAC Ruby Woo was drying, try Illamasqua! Personally I love matte lipsticks and have very good lips in terms of them not becoming dry easily so I suppose Im lucky that I don't really have to "prepare" for this type of lip formula. The colour is super neon and really flattering, this will definitely be a firm favourite through Summer '14.

Candy Yum Yum
Ah, the famous Barbie pink lipstick. This is such a summery shade that this will also become a 2014 summer favourite as well most likely. Definitely one of my go to lip colours when I'm feeling bold and girly. If you're a fan of a bold lift, this is a good one to go for! Ready my full review >here.<

Those were my top favourites - What're yours? Let me know in the comments below!

Alicia x
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REVIEW // MAC Heroine - The new (permanent) kid on the block.

MAC Heroine lipstick - £15, MAC Cosmetics

Hey!

So it's officially the first day of spring, not that the weathers showing it. What better way to celebrate than with lipstick?

MAC Heroine (Matte) was released in Spring 2012 in the Reel Sexy collection along with Pink Popcorn (Lustre) Reel Sexy (Amplified) and was taken off sale when it sold out. Heroine was very popular and sold out very quickly despite it's high demand.

Luckily for us Heroine LIPSTICK addicts (ummm...what) MAC made the purple beauty permanent in February 2014, woohoo! I finally got my hands on it.

Heroine is a bright matte purple lipstick with a pink undertone and would suit any skin tone in my opinion. Due to it's matte formula it's staying time is immenses giving up to 6-8 hours of wear time without being too drying! I definitely suggest a little lipbalm and exfoliation before hand!

I can definitely see where Heroine gets it's reputation from because it's super beautiful. Will definitely be stocking up on this one from now on!

Have you tried MAC Heroine? Comment down below!

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #3: Busy life of a Sales Adviser & Dexter's Lab

Hey!

First up, apologies for this post showing up on my blog blank *cringe* My internet was down and my phone wouldn't let me revert to draft so I just had to face the embarrassing consequence of under planning. Second of all sorry it's so late, like I said, no internet so I couldn't get on to write it up over the weekend! Moving swiftly on...

Werk werk werk I feel like all I do is work yet I have barely any money to show at the end of the month, retail is a super easy yet super low paying job, sigh. Some money is better than no money though, am i right? I love working at Debenhams, everyone's so so friendly but I don't want to be there forever, would definitely LOVE job on the cosmetics counter though *heart in eyes emoji*

The wind down I love come home after work and throwing my PJs on, hair mask on and having a nice brew. This week I've rekindled my love for my "I love Dogs and Cats" flask from Primark, its super super cute I can't get enough of it!

Instagram If you guys don't already then follow me on Instagram! I usually post selfies, make up looks and recent purchases (mainly make up/beauty related) but recently I've been trying to include more lifestyle and daily goings on. My instagram is @aliciajadex ( << click that, it's a link to follow me!)

Nostalgia So my boyfriend got Netflix this week and I've been LOVING watching 90s cartoons like Dexters Lab and Powerpuff Girls! They make me laugh so much just remembering how sucked into them I was as a child, Dexters Lab is definitely a firm favourite of mine!!

So there we have it, my week in a summary! To be honest this week has been pretty chilled, apart from work, so that's been great! What have you been up to? Let me know in the comments below!

Alicia x
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REVIEW: Illamasqua Glamore Collection Lipsticks in Luster and Glissade

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Us beauty addicts love a good "collection" from any make up brand so when Illamasqua announced their Glamore collection, obviously, I was ecstatic. With it's classic formulas and beautiful shades I really couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

When it came out I decided on two lipsticks, Luster and Glissade. Luster is a true Barbie-esque bright pink with a blue undertone whereas Glissade is a deep fuchsia with a pinky/red undertone. The formulas are not similar to anything I own which is why they were a great addition to my collection as I'm trying to strive for variety in my collection rather than brand snobbery, which I've found myself doing in the past *hangs head in shame.*

I didn't go for Soaked lipstick as I have quite a few orangey/coral shades and I also didn't buy any of the nail varnishes as I often get my nails professionally done so for me, as lovely as they look, it would just be a waste of money, plus I have many many colours and varieties in my nail polish arsenal...for now.

The lipsticks I did buy, pictured above as Luster on top and Glissade on bottom, are very moisturising and long wearing, they're comfortable to wear and are not sticky whatsoever. I was quite worried when first purchasing them as I'd read mixed reviews on various blogs and forums about Illamasqua lipsticks but deep down I knew they'd be great, because the brand has such a reputation. I honestly don't know what took me so long to buy from them!

The pigmentation is great, the swatches above are one light swipe of the lipstick bullet, and they don't smudge easily or bleed on the lips which is a great plus for me as I'm usually wearing make up for long periods of time under fluorescent indoor lighting, so staying power for me, is key.

Overall i love love love these lipsticks and have already purchased another from the Illamasqua site in shade Immodest which is a matte formula and I love it!

What do you think of Illamasqua? Have you bought from their new collection??

Alicia x
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Palettes, Palettes, Palettes.

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A great palette in my eyes is on that I can get everyday uses from, a great selection of mattes, shimmers, sheens, colours and neutrals alike. Not many impress me, which is why I've recently opted to making my own MAC palette.

Now in this blog post I'm not showing you all my palettes, just my favourites that made it into my "everyday" selection which has a home on my dresser. these palettes have impressed me day after day and given me a lot of use due to their variety and pigmentation.

Above I have my favourite palettes pictured and they are Estee Lauder's SS14 GWP Palette, MUA Undressed and Undress Me Too, Rimmel Brixton Brown, L'Oreal Color Riche in Disco Smoking and a self made z-palette with 5 Makeup Geek shadows and 1 MAC shadow. I find these palettes give me everything I need on a day to day basis, crease colours, transition shades, all over lid colours etc for anything from a natural or neutral eye to a colour pop smokey eye and they definitely, for me, were worth every penny.

The Z-palette contains Makeup Geek's Creme Brulee, Peach Smoothie and Cocoa Bear on the top row and then Makeup Geek's Corrupt and Prom Night on the second row along with MAC's Woodwinked. This palette is my go to neutral palette and is mainly used for the matte transition or crease colours. My favourites being Creme Brulee and Peach smoothie, they blend so well and are so pigmented so a little goes a very long way.

The MUA palettes I use for a more bronze smokey eye look and the L'Oreal/Rimmel palettes are great for having a pop of colour when I want to be a little more daring with my looks, which recently I haven't been but I intend to start delving back into colour very soon.

Estee Lauder are currently having a GWP deal at Debenhams. For anyone that doesn't know what that is, it's a Gift With Purchase which means if you buy two or more items from an Estee Lauder counter (one to be skincare or foundation over the value of £80) you get a little make up bag with goodies in it free of charge, hence gift with purchase. This is the palette I got and annoyingly it doesn't have a name which is why I named it SS14 (because that's what the colours revolve around.) This is fairly new in my collection but it's been used pretty much everyday since I bought it and I am so impressed with it! It truly is a little gem, well done Estee Lauder!

What are your go to palettes? Another I want to try is Urban Decay Vice! Leave your thoughts and comments below!

Alicia x
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Maylash: The Natural Eyelash Serum & Discount Code

Hey!

So basically I'm writing two posts today, you lucky people, because I want to share this with you as some of you might be interested, some of you may not, but that's cool too.

I've received a discount code from the lovely people at Maylash, for you my readers, so you can get 30% off their product.

Maylash is a natural eyelash serum that doesn't contain the chemicals other serums contain, Maylash contains natural ingredients to promote healthy lash growth without irritating the eyes or the lids.

It takes around 2-4 months of daily use (one use per day, at night before bed) to see full results so obviously I can't comment yet on how this has worked for me as I've used it only twice so far.

If you want to try this serum for yourself it's usually £69 but Maylash is on offer at the moment for £49 and with my discount code - which is alicia30 - you can get it for £34.20, so that's an extra 30% off until March 20th 2014.

If, like I did, you want to be more informed, click this link >https://maybeauty.co.uk/maylash/< to find out all the information you need to know.

I'll be back with this product in a few months to tell you my full, honest opinion as always!

*This product was sent to me for review, In return for a review I have been offered the product. My end review will ALWAYS be honest and truthful and the fact I have received it free will not sway my views. Please read my disclaimer for full information.

Alicia x
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The Monday Matter #3: Estee Lauder, Maylash and Vanity.

Hey!

Sorry this Monday's post is so late, I will explain. 

Moving on...

The Daily Grind So this week hasn't been too bad in terms of shifts at work but the shifts have been longgggg, not many of them in quantity, but lengthy. Nothing too crazy like 12 hours or anything just 7 hour shifts filled with running around and doing 2 hour jobs in half an hour. I've never sweat as much in a department store since working at one, but at least I can run over to fragrance and use the testers to make sure I continue to smell yummy ;)

The Make Up You've probably seen my haul, I've bought a lot of make up...but hey, that's what beauty lovers do, my favourites of my buys are MAC Heroine, Illamasqua Gel Liner in Infinity and my Estee Lauder Pure Colour blush. You can see the blush above and it's just the most beautiful thing to look at I can't stop staring. The colour is beautiful too, it's a peachy pink with a bit of a highlight, perfect for SS14!

The Vanity So as you can see above, I love a good selfie. I went out saturday night with a few friends and obviously after doing my make up I just had to go ahead and - in the words of The Chainsmokers - First, let me take a selfie *beat drops.* I work my favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in Cool Bone, my Illamasqua liner and MAC Heroine to name a few products. I also wore my ARDELL demi wispies to top it all off and I just love how it all turned out so I just couldn't help myself, selfie wise.

Maylash A post is coming shortly but I've been sent an eyelash serum to try and it all seems pretty promising. This particular serum is said to only contain natural ingredients, so nothing that will irritate your eyes like other serums may have. Obviously I need a month or two to get the full results but I'm going to write an introductory post to give you lovely lot a 30% discount code. So stay tuned!

How has your week been? Let me know!

Alicia x
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